1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention is related to the sport of rodeo, and more specifically to the specialization of Team Roping. Team Roping is a timed rodeo event that features a steer and two horse-mounted riders. Both horse-mounted riders work together as a team to rope the steer as quickly as possible. A first roper is referred to as the “header,” the person who ropes the front of the steer, usually around the horns, and a second roper is the “heeler,” who ropes the steer by its hind feet. Teams of professionals and amateurs compete against each other trying to achieve the best possible times.
2. Description of Relevant Art
Team Roping requires extensive training in order for competitors to develop the specialized skills necessary to compete in team roping events. Team roping competitors must continuously hone their skills in order to perform at the highest levels. Several prior art training devices exist to help team ropers to develop and/or improve appropriate skills for the sport. The subject invention improves upon these prior art training devices and provides additional novel and innovative features.
In a search of prior art relating to devices intended for roping training, the following patents were discovered and are being disclosed. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,080,373; 5,009,432; 4,874,179; 4,662,642; 4,451,045; 7,293,775; 7,059,605; 5,709,386; and 4,981,302.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,373 is a roping training device featuring a system marketed under the name Slick-Stick. U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,432 is a roping training device. The '432 patent covers a device with a pair of rear legs that move together at a speed determinate with the cart it is attached thereon. U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,179 is a roping training device. The '179 patent is a stationary sled device featuring a pair of rear legs that move up and down but do not articulate relative to each other. U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,642 is a roping training device. The '642 patent depicts a sled device with elliptical wheels, designed to be towed by a second user. As the sled is towed, the wheels provide a linkage to articulate a pair of rear legs back and forth in tandem, which means the speed of articulation of the legs, is dependent upon speed of the sled. U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,045 is a roping training device. The '045 patent shows a roping stand designed for stationary use, with a motor to drive a pair of rear legs back and forth. U.S. Pat. No. 7,293,775 is a roping training device. The '775 patent is a self-propelled remote controlled cart with separately articulating tandem rear legs. U.S. Pat. No. 7,059,605 is a roping training device. The '605 patent is a stationary device with a pair of rear legs articulating back and forth in tandem. U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,386 is a roping training device. The '386 patent is a sled that is either stationary or must be towed for use. A motor articulates the rear legs in tandem.
U.S. patents '432, '642, '386 and '302 are not designed for solo use. U.S. patents '373, '179, '045, '775, and '605 can be used by a single user.
Known team roping practice devices such as those taught in these patents have limitations or present problems that that the subject invention remedies. For example, one problem with known prior art devices is that the animated leg motion of the roping target does not provide speed adjustments to adequately simulate the leg motions of a steer. A further limitation of known devices is that the roping target does not include front legs, which means that there is no simulated motion of the front legs with the motion of the rear legs of the roping target. Another limitation is that multiple variations of types of leg motion for the rear legs such as hopping or skipping are not provided. Another problem is that animation means of the legs is not independent with the movement of the roping target through free space. Also limiting is the fact that the animated legs do not effectively touch the ground for any of the disclosed patents. Another limiting feature is that none are designed with a safety system to shut down in the event of a child or animal coming into contact with the target while it is in motion.
In the market place, there are a number of prior art examples of products that are offered for sale, however, each of these prior art examples also fall short of satisfactorily resolving the issues at hand and are limited in their use and/or application. Such products suffer from the same limitations as the inventions taught in the previously cited patents. These limitations include lack of speed adjustments that would adequately simulate steer leg motion, no front legs, no way to vary the “gait” of the target to something resembling the hopping or skipping of a calf or goat like animal, lack of a drive system capable of animating the legs that is independent from that which moves the target through free space, and feet that do not effectively touch the ground.